Colorado State University All-Star Weekend: Who would compete?

Tyler Meguire and Bailey Shepherd
February 13, 2020

The NBA All-Star break is this weekend, giving players a break from the regular season and fans an opportunity to watch the festival events the break has to offer. The All-Star break features the Rising Stars Challenge, Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, Slam Dunk contest and All-Star Game.

The Rising Stars game pits the rookies and sophomores against each other. The Skills Challenge showcases the best passers, ball handlers and shooters in the league. The 3-Point Contest features the best shooters, and the Slam Dunk contest gives the best rim-rockers a chance to show what they can do.

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If Colorado State basketball had its own All-Star Weekend, who would perform in each event?

We took both the men’s and women’s rosters and decided where they would land in the All-Star events. 

All-Star Game

For the CSU All-Star Game, CAM the Ram and Joyce McConnell are captains. If the captains drafted teams from the men’s and women’s roster, this is what it would look like.

Team CAM 

Coach: Ryun Williams 

Starters: Tori Williams, Kendle Moore, Adam Thistlewood, David Roddy, Andrea Brady

Reserves: Jamie Bonnarens, Katia Stamatelopoulos, Dischon Thomas, Hyron Edwards, Roichelle Marble

Team Joyce

Coach: Niko Medved

Starters: Isaiah Stevens, Megan Jacobs, Lore Devos, Makenzie Ellis, Nico Carvacho

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Reserves: Liah Davis, Myanne Hamm, Kris Martin, John Tonje, P.J. Byrd

These players have shown exemplary performances all season long. The men’s players have played key roles in the 17-9 record so far. The women’s basketball players rostered on the teams have been clutch all season, playing as a unit and not letting injuries derail their potential. The CSU women’s basketball team has put together an impressive 10 wins and still have six games to round out the season. 

2v2 tourney

Stevens/Devos, Williams/Carvacho, Brady/Roddy, Martin/Jacobs

Instead of Rising Stars, CSU opted to do a 2v2 tournament with one woman and man on each duo. The teams play half-court and first to score 21 wins. The first round is single elimination, while the championship is a three game series with the first team to score 15 wins. 

Each team stacks up fairly, but Brady and Roddy are the most versatile team. Both players body up in the paint and extend behind the arc if needed.

Skills Competition

Stevens, Moore, Edwards, Thistlewood, Williams

Stevens would be the favorite in this competition. He is the starting point guard with great speed and can get to his spots quickly. He shoots 40% from 3-point land. The Skills Competition is a nerve-wracking event that requires mental focus. Stevens is known for clutch daggers and would be great at hitting the last-second three. However, Moore could give him a run for his money. Moore has three more made 3-pointers on the year and is shooting more efficiently at 41.3%. 

3-Point Contest

Jacobs, Bonnarens, Stevens, Thistlewood

The 3-Point Contest is exactly what it sounds like: five racks with five balls placed in five different locations around the 3-point line. Each contestant has 70 seconds to try to get as many of the balls in the basket as they can. 

Stevens has been lethal from behind the arc this season. This, coupled with his clutch ability, makes him an entertaining competitor in this contest. Thistlewood has been even more potent on the season, shooting 42% from three, which is impressive when you consider he’s taken 112 total threes this season.

Jacobs is always ready to take aim from deep, with 31.1% of her 3-balls finding the target this season. Bonnarens will round out the competition, averaging two made 3-pointers per game this season. Bonnarens always has the green light and would make a great addition to the competition.

Dunk Contest

Roddy, Devos, Martin, Brady, Tonje

Tonje goes into the contest as the favorite. Tonje has the most bounce on the men’s team. He excels in transition by using his speed to break free and finish above the rim. Tonje’s combination of power and finesse with his 6-foot-5-inch frame would make for great entertainment in the contest.

Roddy is the best competition for Tonje and his likely counterpart in the championship round. Roddy is known for his in-game dunks and would show off vicious dunks in the contest. 

Tyler Meguire can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @TMeguire. 

Bailey Bassett (Slam Dunk and Skills Contest writer) can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @baileybassett_.

Bailey Shepherd (3-Point Contest writer) can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @B_Sheps.